Kinematics

Kinematics is the branch of mechanics,

which treats of motion as such, without
regard to its cause, that is Kinematics
deals only with geometrical aspect of
the motion.
Motion
Motion is change in the location or position
of an object in the time domain with respect
to other body (reference body).
To study motion of any object we have to
introduce at least one reference system.
The reference system consists of:
Datum (reference point);
Coordinate system;
A system of time reading

z
y
x
O
Tree is datum of the
coordinate system
z
y
x
O
Point O is
datum of the
coordinate
system Oxyz
M
M
0
It is supposed that at least one motionless
frame of reference exists. This frame of
reference is called inertial. In engineering
practice the heliocentric reference
systems is used as inertial. The
geocentric reference systems can be
used as inertial if displacement of body of
interest is substantially smaller then Earth
radius.
Particle motion.
Trajectory, representation
of particle motion
The motion of a particle is completely
described if the position of the particle is
given as a function of the time.
Trajectory (Path) is the line along which
particle travels. If path is straight line, the
motion is called rectilinear; if path is
curved line the motion is curvilinear.
Trajectory of VOYAGERs motion
Trajectory of Space Shuttles crash
landing
Descriptions of particle motion
There are three main methods of the
particle motion descriptions. They are:
1. vector,
2. coordinate,
3. natural.
Vector way of a particle motion
description
The position of a particle in three-
dimensional space is specified by its
vector-position onnecting the origin
of reference, the point , with a point M,
where the particle is situated. Vector
position is determined by its magnitude
(module) and direction. The motion is
completely described when vector is
known as a function of the time.
r
1
r(t )
M
3
M
4
O
0
r(t )
M
0
M
1
M
2
4
r(t )
2
r(t )
3
r(t )
Coordinate methods of a particle
motion description
The position of a particle in three-
dimensional space is specified by
particles coordinates: x, y, z,
or , or other.
Motion of a particle is completely
described if particle coordinates are
known as a function of the time.
, , z
z
y
x
O
M
x
M
y
M
z
M
M
M
M
x f ( t )
y f ( t )
z f ( t )
=

1
2
3
z
y
x
O
M
f ( t )
f ( t )
z f ( t )

1
2
3
z
M
Relation between vector and
coordinate methods of the particle
motion descriptions can be
expressed as


r xi yj zk
f ( t )i f ( t ) j f ( t )k
1 2 3

Natural way of a particle motion
description
It can be realized only if the particle
trajectory is given (constrained
motion). Natural method supposes that
motion is completely described if position
of particle on its trajectory is given as
function of the time.

To realize the natural method of a
particle motion representation is to
introduce

the reference point M
0
(the
position of the particle on the
trajectory at the moment when
t=0);
the positive direction of
curvilinear coordinate reading;
time dependence of curvilinear
coordinate:

.
The last expression is called
law of motion.
M
M
0
o > 0
f (t ) o =
Relation between coordinate and
natural methods of the particle
motion description is:
d ( dx ) ( dy ) ( dz )
x y z dt
o = + + =
= + +
2 2 2
2 2 2
t
x y z dt o = + +
2 2 2
0
Average velocity of a particle during
interval is ratio
Particle Velocity
t A
av
r
v
t
A
=
A
Particle Velocity
Instantaneous velocity is the vector
position time derivative




0
lim
t
r dr
v r
t dt
A
A
A

= = =
,
.
x y z
dr
v v i v j v k
dt
v x i yj zk
2 2 2
x y z
v v v v
z
y
x
O
M
0
0
r(t )
Ar
A r(t+ t)
M
1
M
1
A r ( t+ t )
Ar
dr
v
dt
=
M
1
Ar
v
A r ( t+ t )
Particle Acceleration
Instantaneous acceleration is the vector
velocity time derivative or vector position
second time derivative



A
A
A

= = = =
t
v dv d r
W lim r ,
t dt dt
2
2
0
x y z
dv
W W i W j W k x i yj zk.
dt
= = + + = + +
x y z
W W W W .
2 2 2
z
y
x
O
M
1
1
r(t )
M
2 r ( t )
2
v
1
v
2
v A
z
y
x
O
r(t)
r (t dt ) +
v(t )
dv
v(t dt ) +
W
Acceleration points toward the side of curve concavity.
v(t dt ) +
t
M
t dt
M
+
Velocity and Acceleration
in Terms of Path variables
(natural way of particle motion
representation)
To realize the natural method of a
particle motion representation is to
introduce

the reference point M
0
(the position of the
particle on the trajectory
at the moment when t=0);
the positive direction of
curvilinear coordinate
reading;
time dependence of
curvilinear coordinate:

.
The last expression is
called law of motion.
M
M
0
o > 0
f (t ) o =
Natural coordinate system
(Frenet coordinate system)
M
M
1
n
t
b
M
0
o > 0
tangent to
the trajectory
Principal normal
to the trajectory
osculating plane
r
O
t
1
C
C is center of curvature
Unit vectors of
natural coordinate system
is unit vector of the tangent to the trajectory
points to the direction of increasing;

is unit vector of the principal normal, points
to the center of curvature of the trajectory;

is unit vector, forms the right hand triad with
and


n
b
n
Particle Velocity
Instantaneous velocity is the vector
position time derivative




t
r dr
v lim r
t dt
A 0
t t
t t
r r
v lim lim
t t
r
lim lim .
t
A A
A A


0 0
0 0
t
r dr
lim ;
d
A
A
t
Ao o

= =
0
t
d
v
t dt
A 0
lim .
o o
o
Velocity is vector along the tangent to the
trajectory with magnitude equals .

Velocity is in the same direction with if
particle moves in the direction of increasing
.

Velocity is opposite to the if particle moves
in the direction of decreasing .
v 1
o
t
t
o
o
> 0 o
< 0 o
M
t
v
M
0
o > 0
0 o
M
t
v
M
0
o > 0
0 o
Particle Acceleration
( )
2
2
dv d d
W
dt dt dt
d d d
. 2
dt dt dt
o
t
o o t
t
| |
= = =
|
\ .
= +
d d d
. (3)
dt d dt
t t o
o
=
d
?
d
t
o

( )
d
v, 4
dt
o
=
M
tangent to
the trajectory
C
C is center of curvature
osculating circle
tangent to
the circle
is radius of curvature
( )
d 1
v. 5
d
t
o
=
2
2
2
d d 1
W n. (7 )
dt dt
o o
t

| |
= +
|
\ .
d d d v
v . (6)
dt dt d
t o t
o
== =
Acceleration components:
tangent and normal
d
W
dt
=
2
2
;
t
o
t

The first component in eq. (7) is in
the direction of tangent to the path. It
is called tangential acceleration. It
characterizes variation of the velocity
magnitude.
The second component in eq. (7) is in
the osculating plane at right angles to
the path tangent and pointing toward
the center of curvature. It
characterizes the variation of the
velocity direction.
n
v
W n =
2

t
W
t
M
M
0
o > 0
n
,
n
W W W

+ =
t
2 2
n
W W W + =
t
v
n
W
W
Character of particle motion
and
V W or
and
< >

|+

< >

0 0
0 0
t
o o
o o
Motion is accelerated

Motion is decelerated

Motion is with uniform
velocity
and
V W or
and
> >

||

< <

0 0
0 0
t
o o
o o
in fin
W for t t t = < < 0
t
Conditions under which
acceleration components
equal zero
W
if
=
=
0
0
,
.
t
o
Speed is constant during a time
interval;
Speed runs up its extreme
value.

At the point of inflection;
On the straight trajectory.
n
W
if
=
=
0,
.
Normal and tangent accelerations in terms
of rectangular coordinates for 2-D case
+

= =
+
x x y y
x y
v W v W
v W
W
v v v
t
2 2
x y y x
n
x y
v W v W v W
v W v W
W
v v v v


= = =
+
2 2
sin( , )
.
( ) ( )
( )
x x y y
n
x y z
x y
v W v W
W W W W W W
v v
+
= = + +
+
2
2 2 2 2
2 2
.
t